The Last House on the Left (1972)

Horror movies are an iffy subject when it comes to most people. Some people don’t mind them while others hate them with a pure and unbridled passion! I however LOVE horror movies and try to make it a point to watch as many as possible to gain knowledge on the development of the genre as opposed to just wanting to see the wonderful violence.

The Last House on the Left was Wes Craven’s first film as a director so I could not resist checking this movie out. So what do I do? I rent the original and the 2009 remake for comparison’s sake.
What follows is a true story, only the names have been changed to protect the survivors.

The Last House on the Left (1972)

Mari and her friend Phyllis go into the city (NYC) to celebrate Mari’s 17th birthday before returning home. Mari’s parents are preparing a wonderful birthday party for their perfect, sweet little angel.
This movie starts off so joyfully, it really goes to show you how good of a person Mari is and how much she is loved by everyone around her. It really makes the viewer see her as an angel, one that should be kept precious and protected.
Then Mari and Phyllis decide they want to smoke pot (as everyone knows: drugs = death in a horror film) and come across some people that might be able to help them out. Too bad the people they find are 3 escaped criminals and their psychopathic friend/jail breaker!

What follows is approximately one hour of true horror. The girls are kidnapped and taken to the middle of the woods were they are, quite frankly, brutalized. The best I can akin this portion of the movie to is that of a snuff film. It may be Wes Craven’s masterful direction or the type of film used to shoot the movie, but it looks horrifyingly real. If I was asked while watching this movie if I thought the people on screen were actors, I would have said “NO!” Everyone does a terrific job of portraying their roles in a manner that I don’t think I have seen before. Usually you know that it is acting and that an actor is doing a good job or a shitty one. These people WERE their characters, and once again, great direction and/or 70s style grainy film really gives a home video touch that reaches out and grabs the viewer.

I felt for these girls, I was shocked at what I saw, and even felt a little guilty for watching it. If the entire movie was this portion…GREATEST HORROR MOVIE EVER!! But sadly, it’s not.

Throughout the film, we also follow the “adventures” of a couple of ignorant, worthless, idiotic cops. None of the scenes with the cops are funny in the least bit! I think their presence is meant to break the realism of the film, otherwise it would be practically impossible to watch, but these scenes are so stupid they simply upset the viewer and when it gets back to the main movie the viewer has lost most of their anxiety and intensity (don’t worry, wait 5 minutes and it will return).

The final act of the film centers on Mari’s parents with whom the killers have decided to (unknowingly) pay a visit to. While this act has moments that really make the viewer feel good, as well as horribly wrong, it is quite short and after the hour long snuff film we just saw, comes as quite a disappointment. If the intensity could have held up and we felt more suspense as the climax unfolded…the only gripe would be those damn cops!!

Justice is sweet, but after what we just went through we deserve to feel more vindicated than we ultimately do! 6/10


Stay tuned for my review/comparison of the 2009 remake of The Last House on the Left!